JP4237296B2 - Bar stool - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a stool, and more particularly to a bar stool.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A typical bar stool includes a seat portion, an intermediate portion and a base portion. However, such stools have the disadvantage that the user must sit in a very static state. Thus, during a long night spent on such a bar stool, the user will sit in an unhealthy posture due to fatigue of the back muscles. Even during the day, many people work while sitting at offices, etc., making their backs worse. In particular, if a person whose back muscles have already weakened or deteriorated sits down on a static bar stool at night, for example, the tendency to take an unfavorable posture is further increased, resulting in more and more back pain. Continuously applying an usually inappropriate load to the disc can significantly reduce the blood supply to the disc and cause permanent back injury. Another drawback when sitting on a bar stool is that many of the users will be able to dent in the lower back by tilting the legs down and hanging down. If such a posture is unpleasant, the user leans on the bar and the disc is subjected to a load biased to one side.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to provide a bar stool that promotes a user to sit in a healthy posture.
[0004]
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bar stool capable of giving a user a healing effect.
Another object of the present invention is to keep the user at least somewhat moving on the stool, while having a simple structure, without causing the user to suffer from muscular tissue solidification due to inactivity for a long time. It is to provide a bar stool.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are achieved by a bar stool comprising a seat portion, a base portion, and an intermediate portion operatively disposed therebetween to connect the two portions. The intermediate portion is configured to include a spring and can be swayed with respect to the base, and is mounted so that it can return to its original position when swayed.
[0006]
Due to the spring-loaded intermediate part, the bar stool swings even if it receives a slight movement in the vertical axis, so that the stool user's back muscle tissue is always in motion and its upper disc is exposed to static loads. There is no.
[0007]
Since the intermediate portion can be tilted to the base and can be returned from the tilted position, the user always swings back and forth slightly. As a result, the user's back muscle tissue is constantly moving, and blood is sufficiently supplied to the intervertebral disc.
[0008]
Preferably, in an embodiment of the invention, the base is fixed, i.e. comprises a stationary shaft. The pivot point between the base and the intermediate part is located at the upper end of the shaft.
The presence of the fixed shaft ensures that the pivot point is not far away from the seat surface and that the front-rear and left-right swinging is limited to an appropriate and preferable range.
If, on the contrary, the pivot point that becomes the center of back-and-forth swing is on the ground, that is, the floor surface, the back-and-forth swing of the bar stool becomes excessive, and the bar stool is unaccustomed to such movement. It will no longer be possible to use it safely.
[0009]
Preferably, in another aspect of the invention, the foot ring is held on the shaft at a predetermined distance from the ground, i.e. from the floor, in other words from the bottom of the stool. Since the foot ring can be fixed to the shaft, it is almost stationary. Therefore, a stool user can place his / her foot on the foot ring, and the foot can be placed on the foot ring despite the user's pelvic region and upper body swinging back and forth, so that the seat is safe and stable. Keep posture.
[0010]
Preferably, according to an aspect of the present invention, the height of the foot ring is adjustable on the axis, thereby enabling optimal adjustment to meet the user's requirements.
[0011]
Preferably, the spring-loaded intermediate part comprises a central column and a spring device. The central column and the spring device are connected in series between the seat part and the base part with respect to the force based on the weight when seated. By connecting the central column and the spring device in series in the above-described state, the central column can have a structure capable of adjusting the height without hindering the spring effect about the vertical axis. .
[0012]
In this advantageous structure, it is preferred that the central column and the spring device are concentrically arranged with the bearing guide operatively installed between the central column and the spring device. Since the central column and the spring device are concentric, it is possible to provide a series arrangement of the central column and the spring device with a relatively simple structure. As described above, the pivot point is not far from the seat surface, but the pivot point is greatly moved in the direction of the base by simply arranging the central cylinder and the spring device in series. It is very important to be able to.
[0013]
Preferably, the spring device comprises dynamic spring mounting means and static spring mounting means with the spring operably disposed between the dynamic spring mounting means and the static spring mounting means. This relatively simple structure allows a normal spring to be used as a standard member.
[0014]
The central column is in the form of a spring column of adjustable height and preferably comprises at least one vertical guide track cooperating with the bearing guide.
With the ball or roller preferably used as a bearing element, it is preferred that the bearing guide comprises two parts of bearing means arranged at different heights.
[0015]
Particularly preferably, in the structure according to the invention, the bearing element is pressed against the guide drag by the load of the spring. If the bearing element is used without being subjected to a spring load, inaccuracies and tolerances during manufacturing will be felt very large by the user when the stool is swung back and forth and from side to side, and the inaccuracies and tolerances will be When sitting in a dynamic state involving swinging back and forth of the stool, it has an unfavorable health impact.
[0016]
Preferably, at least two bearing elements are arranged on the guide track for each bearing means.
In such a device, the bearing element is mounted in a state in which the bearing element mounting member presses the bearing element against the guide track by either a compression spring or an elastically deformable region or an elastically deformable protrusion. It is preferable that the member is held. Accordingly, the compression spring or the elastically deformable region or the elastically deformable protrusion presses the bearing element against the guide track radially inward.
[0017]
In a preferred embodiment, the guide track comprises a tube having a first end connected to the lower end of the spring post and a second end connected to the dynamic end of the spring mounting member device.
[0018]
A flat bearing bush is preferably disposed between the guide track tube and the spring column, preferably in the form of a gas spring component. In the case of dynamic continuous back-and-forth and left-right swinging around the longitudinal axis of the middle part, it is basically that the gas spring component jumps in a state where the swing is only involved in the swing within the minimum range. Is a spring device, and it is basically a flat bearing bush that is responsible for the height displacement.
[0019]
The bearing guide is disposed on the support leg body, and the bearing mounting member is held under a spring load so as to be displaceable in the radial direction in the support leg body. By providing a spring loaded bearing element, dimensional inaccuracies and tolerance corrections are recommended. Thus, this structure provides a uniform, pain-free and substantially noise free swing about the longitudinal axis of the middle portion of the stool.
[0020]
In a preferred embodiment, the support leg body can be fixed to the shaft at the base by a spline connection.
The spacing between the dynamic spring mounting member and the static spring mounting member is preferably adjustable. For this purpose, a rotatable union nut is provided on the support leg body as spring support means, by which the spring of the spring device can be subjected to compressive stress. When the spring is subjected to compressive stress, the stool can be adjusted to the weight of the user, and when the user sits on the stool, the seat surface of the seat part greatly exceeds the allowable range, There is no slight downturn. As described above, the compression stress mechanism is preferably formed on the supporting leg main body by a rotatable union nut, and the compression stress of the spring increases or decreases by rotating the union nut.
[0021]
Preferably, the stool is provided with a return device of the swing joint type formed by an elastic material-metal composite, such as a rubber-metal swing joint, between the intermediate part and the base part. The force can be adjusted by a handwheel or the like.
[0022]
Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the present invention.
[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a side half sectional view of a rocking bar stool including a seat portion 1, an intermediate portion 3, and a base portion 2. The intermediate portion 3 has a central cylinder, that is, a central column 4 and a spring device 5, and can be swayed with respect to the base 2 at the lower end portion, and held so that it can return to its original position when swayed. Is done. The central column 4 has the shape of a spring column 10 whose height can be adjusted, and generally has the shape of a gas spring component. The seat portion 1 is fixed to the spring column 10 via a push-in joint 22, and can be rotated around the vertical axis of the spring column 10 by a bearing 23 installed at the lower end of the spring column 10. In order to adjust the height of the seat surface of the seat portion 1, a lever 24 is provided on the lower side of the seat surface, and the lever 24 acts on the spring column 10 so that the height can be adjusted by a known method during operation. To do. The central column 4 has a tube shape surrounding the spring column 10. The spring column 10 is provided with a vertical guide track 11 rotatably connected to the spring column 10 via a bearing 23 at the lower end.
[0024]
In order to obtain dynamic seat characteristics, the force based on the seated weight between the seat portion 1 and the base portion 2 is transmitted from the central column 4 to the spring device 5 via a series path. A reverse configuration in which force is transmitted from the spring device 5 through the central column 4 may be used.
[0025]
The spring device 5 includes a static spring mounting portion 8, a spring 9 shown in a coil shape, and a dynamic spring mounting portion 7. The dynamic spring mounting portion 7 is fixed to the upper end portion of the guide track 11. The bearing guide 6 is operatively provided between the spring device 5 and the guide track 11 so as to relatively move the central column 4 and the spring device 5. In the embodiment, the bearing guide 6 includes two bearing means 12 held by the upper holding portion of the support leg main body 15. The support leg main body 15 forms a lower end portion of the central column 4 and is engaged with the base portion 2 via the spline connecting portion 16. The support leg main body 15 is threaded with a male screw in a lower region thereof, and is screwed into a union nut 17 that simultaneously functions as a support means for the spring 9. When the spring 9 is subjected to a compressive stress by the union nut 17 and the seat surface of the seat portion 1 receives a load, the seat surface can move downward according to the weight of the user.
[0026]
The intermediate portion 3 is fitted to the return device 21 of the base portion 2 through the spline connecting portion 16. The return device 21 takes the form of a swingable connection with rubber-metal. The return device 21 includes an upper part 25 and a lower part 27. The upper end portion of the upper portion 25 has a substantially tubular shape constituting the spline connecting portion 16, and the lower portion 27 is fixed to the arm 31 of the base portion 2. The shaft portion 40 is fitted to the lower portion 27. The bottom portion of the shaft portion 40 is accommodated in the lower portion 27, and the outer shape of the top portion has a bowl shape and surrounds the upper portion 25. The elastic material 26 is disposed between the top portion of the shaft portion 40 and the upper portion 25. The elastic material 26 is disposed between both sides and at the same time between both side walls. The upper part 25, the shaft part 40 and the lower part 27 are connected via a screw 29. On the other hand, the return device 21 can be subjected to compressive stress via an adjusting nut 28 that cooperates with the screw 29. Thus, the restoring force can be adjusted. In the alternative configuration shown in FIG. 1, a further elastic element 30 is arranged between the head of the screw 29 and the upper part 25 which makes the features of the return device 21 more flexible and more comfortable.
[0027]
The foot ring 50 is fixed to the outside of the shaft portion 40 in a cylindrical shape via a sleeve 52. The sleeve 52 has a hole in which a screw is engraved, and a set screw 53 is screwed into the hole. In other words, the foot ring 50 is locked, that is, fixed to the shaft portion 40 via the set screw 53. By loosening the set screw 53, the height of the foot ring 50 can be adjusted over the length of the shaft portion 40.
[0028]
The base 2 is generally in the form of a substantially closed ring, on which the return device 21 is mounted on the base 2, and therefore the intermediate part 3 and the seat part 1 are mounted in the center via the arm 31. When a load is applied, the arm is elastically deformed, and the stool is pressed against the floor surface or the ground via the friction promoting contact device 33 at the lower end of the return device 21.
[0029]
Rollers or balls 34 are provided on the annular base 2 of the stool, and the balls 34 are flexibly immersed into the base 2 under load. It is also possible to use rollers that comply with German industry standards that are designed to be locked or locked in a flexible stretch. This roller is adapted to be flexibly immersed in the base portion 2 when the load applied to the stool is low and the stool is displaced.
[0030]
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a lower portion of the intermediate portion 3 of the swing bar stool shown in FIG. The foot ring 50 is not shown here. When a dynamic movement centered on the longitudinal axis (not shown) of the intermediate part 3 is received, a relative movement occurs between the guide track 11 and the spring device 5. The relative movement is made possible by the bearing guide 6 between the spring device 5 and the guide track 11. The bearing guide 6 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 (a), 4 (b), and 4 (c). The travel of the spring 9 in the extended state is limited by the contact portion 35 at the lower end portion of the vertical guide track 11. The contact portion 35 cooperates with a step portion of the support leg main body 15, that is, a shoulder portion. A rubber ring 36 is operatively installed between the support leg main body 15 and the contact portion 35 in order to limit the upward travel without generating noise. A resilient abutment 32 is provided above the head of the screw 29 to limit the upward travel.
[0031]
In FIG. 3 which shows the principal part of the intermediate part 3, the bearing guide 6 is installed. In the embodiment, the bearing guide 6 includes two bearing means 12 that are held by the support leg main body 15 and cooperate with the guide track 11. For each surface, each of the bearing means 12 has four bearing elements 13 distributed on the periphery of the guide track 11. The bearing element 13 is in the form of a roller, ie a ball (see FIG. 4a). In the present embodiment, the bearing element 13 has a roller shape, and the roller shaft of the roller, that is, both ends of the roller spindle are accommodated in the bearing element mounting member 18. The bearing element mounting member 18 is held in the support leg main body 15 so as to be displaceable up to a certain angle in the radial direction, and a spring is loaded in the direction of the guide track 11. Two alternative configurations are shown to provide spring loading. In a first alternative configuration, the bearing element mounting member 18 is supported opposite a tube 37 that surrounds the support leg body 15 via a compression spring 19. Thereby, the bearing element mounting member 18 presses the bearing element 13 in the direction of the guide track 11. The tube 37 is mounted so as to cover the upper tubular region from above and to fix the bearing means 12.
[0032]
In a second alternative configuration, the bearing element mounting members 18 each have an elastic protrusion 20. The elastic protrusion 20 is elastically deformed to press the bearing element mounting member 18 and also press the bearing element 13.
[0033]
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the bearing element 12 described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. In that alternative configuration, the spring load applied to the bearing element 13 via the compression spring 19 compressing the tube 37 is shown. FIG. 4 (c) shows the same part as FIG. 4 (b), but shows another alternative configuration. In the structure of FIG. 4C, the bearing element mounting member 18 is supported on the tube 37, and thus includes an elastic protrusion 20 that presses the bearing element 13 against the guide track 11.
[0034]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the shaft portion 40 including the foot ring 50 attached to the shaft portion 40. The shaft portion 40 has a substantially cylindrical shape and includes a stepped portion, that is, a shoulder portion 41 in the lower end portion direction. Since the lower end portion 27 of the shaft portion 40 can be accurately fitted to the lower portion 27, it is possible to have a smooth cylindrical outer surface as a whole. The shaft portion 40 has an upper end portion (not shown in FIG. 5) having a hook shape, and receives the elastic material 26 and the upper portion 25.
[0035]
The shaft portion 40 has a passage 42 for receiving a screw 29 for applying a compressive stress to the return device 21 and adjusting the return device 21 in the central portion.
The shaft 40 is generally in the shape of a die casting, while the reinforcing rib 43 can additionally be provided between its outer wall and the passage 42.
[0036]
The foot ring 50 is attached to the outer peripheral edge portion of the shaft portion 40 via a sleeve 52, while the sleeve 52 is locked, that is, fixed to the shaft portion 40 via a set screw 53.
[0037]
The foot ring 50 is connected to the sleeve 52 via the support column 51, and its diameter is set to about 50 cm.
FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the shaft 40. The shaft portion 40 is a member obtained by lathing solid aluminum.
[0038]
The shaft 40 has a passage 42 for the screw 29 and a step or shoulder 41. The length of the shaft portion 40 can be variously set.
Since the shaft portion 40 can be easily attached to the lower portion 27, the height of the bar stool can be adapted to the user's desire over the length of the shaft portion 40. It is only necessary that the screw 29 is adapted to the length of the shank 40.
[0039]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes any bar stool that provides a dynamic seat as described herein according to the present invention.
[0040]
Accordingly, improvements and modifications to the above-described configuration of the bar stool of the present invention described above are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, the bar stool of the present invention has an excellent effect that the user can always take a healthy sitting posture.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a swing bar stool.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a lower part in an intermediate portion of the bar stool shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a side view showing a region of an intermediate portion having a bearing guide.
4A is a cross-sectional view of an intermediate portion in a bearing guide region, FIG. 4B is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a partially enlarged view showing an alternative configuration of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a shaft and foot ring of an embodiment of a stool according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an alternative configuration of a shaft.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Seat part, 2 ... Base part, 3 ... Middle part, 4 ... Central pillar, 5 ... Spring apparatus,
6 ... Bearing guide, 7 ... Dynamic spring mounting part, 8 ... Static spring mounting part,
9 ... spring, 10 ... spring pillar, 11 ... guide track,
12 ... Bearing means, 13 ... Bearing element, 15 ... Support leg body,
16 ... Spline connecting part, 17 ... Union nut, 21 ... Returning device, 25 ... Upper part, 27 ... Lower part, 29 ... Screw, 31 ... Arm, 50 ... Foot ring,
52 ... Sleeve, 53 ... Set screw.

Claims (28)

A seat part;
The base,
Placed operably between the seat portion and the base portion, an intermediate portion forming a spring structure,
Means tiltably intermediate portion, and a recoverable way instrumentation Chakusuru unit to the original position from the tilted position, in which its base, has a fixed axis relative to the base,
A foot ring held on the shaft at a certain distance from the ground
Bar stool with. 2. A bar stool according to claim 1, comprising means for adjusting the height of the foot ring on the shaft. A bar stool whose middle part is composed of a central column and a spring device, and the force based on the seating weight between the seat part and the base is transmitted to the central column and the spring device via a series path. The bar stool according to claim 1, comprising: The bar stool according to claim 3, wherein the central column and the spring device are concentrically arranged, and the bearing guide is operatively installed between the central column and the spring device. The central column and the spring device are disposed concentrically, the spring device includes a dynamic spring mounting means and a static spring mounting means, and a spring is provided between the dynamic spring mounting means and the static spring mounting means. The bar stool of claim 3 operatively installed. 6. A bar stool according to claim 5, wherein the bearing guide is disposed between the central column and the static spring mounting means. 5. A bar stool according to claim 4, wherein the central post is a spring post with at least one vertical guide track cooperating with the bearing guide. 8. A bar stool according to claim 7, comprising means for adjusting the length of the spring post. The bar stool according to claim 3, wherein the bearing guide includes bearing means including at least two portions disposed at different heights at regular intervals. 10. A bar stool according to claim 9, wherein the bearing means comprises a plurality of bearing elements. The bar stool according to claim 10, wherein the bearing element comprises a roller. The bar stool according to claim 10, wherein the bearing element comprises a ball. 11. A bar stool according to claim 10, comprising spring loading means for pressing the bearing element against the guide track. 11. A bar stool according to claim 10, wherein the bearing means has at least four bearing elements at the periphery of the guide track. The bar stool according to claim 10, further comprising a bearing element mounting member that holds the bearing element. The bar stool according to claim 15, further comprising a compression spring that presses the bearing element mounting member against the guide track and presses the bearing element against the guide track. The bar stool according to claim 15, wherein the bearing element mounting member has an elastically deformable region, and the bearing element is pressed against the guide track by the elastic deformation. The bar stool according to claim 15, wherein the bearing element mounting member has a protrusion that is elastically deformable to press the bearing element against the guide track. 16. A bar stool according to claim 15, wherein the bearing element mounting member moves within a preset range between the tube of the static spring mounting means and the guide track. The spring device is a bar stool having a dynamic spring mounting means, a static spring mounting means, and a spring operatively installed between the two spring mounting means, and the guide track is connected to the lower end of the spring column. The bar stool according to claim 7, further comprising: a first end portion that is formed and a second end portion that is coupled to the dynamic spring mounting member. 21. A bar stool according to claim 20, comprising a flat bearing bush between the guide track tube and the spring post. 21. A bar stool according to claim 20, comprising means for adjusting the spacing between the dynamic spring mounting means and the static spring mounting means. The bar stool according to claim 4, further comprising a support leg main body on which the bearing guide is placed. The bar stool according to claim 15, comprising a support leg main body and means for mounting the bearing element mounting member to the support leg main body so as to be radially displaceable. 24. The bar stool according to claim 23, further comprising a spline connecting portion for mounting the support leg main body on the base portion. The bar stool according to claim 4, comprising a union nut rotatable as a spring support means on the support leg main body, wherein a compressive stress can be applied in advance to the spring of the spring device via the union nut. The bar stool according to claim 1, further comprising a return device for a connecting member in which rubber-metal swings between the intermediate portion and the base portion. 28. A bar stool according to claim 27, comprising means for adjusting the return force of the return device.

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